I'm not the biggest fan of nuts and dried fruits but almonds and dried cranberries are my preferred choice. I recently chopped some almonds and cashews, sprinkled them with cumin and roasted in the oven for 10 mins. I added some dried cranberries to make a simple yet tasty trail mix - the perfect energy-packed snack for munching pre- or post-workout!
It's simple only because I don't have any other ingredients that are usually popular in trail mixes, like raisins, apricots, dates, banana pieces, pecans, walnuts, peanuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds. Some trail mixes even contain cereals, popcorn, M&Ms and pretzels!
It's easy for calories to sky-rocket with trail mixes. Unless you're actually hiking a trail, it's advisable to keep a serving to 1/4 cup / approx. 50g. Nuts are loaded with healthy unsaturated fats as well as protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals. Always use unsalted, unsweetened nuts to limit sugar and sodium intake.
Whilst the softness and sweetness of dried fruit compliment the crunchy nutty taste of nuts, they are loaded with sugar. Some dried fruit even has added sugar and preservatives. There may be vitamins in the dried fruit but it's best to eat the whole, fresh fruit for full nutritional benefit. At least dried fruit in a home-made trail mix can be limited to a small handful.
Simple Trail Mix
Makes 1
Ingredients:
- 14g / 0.5oz cashews, raw
- 28g / 1oz almonds
- sprinkle of cumin
- 20g / 0.7oz cranberries, dried
Method:
Roughly chop cashews and almonds if desired.
Place on a baking tray, lightly spray with cooking oil and sprinkle with cumin.
Bake at 350F for 10 minutes.
Once cool, add dried cranberries and mix together.
ENJOY!
Nutritional Information:
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